Former US Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, who was cast into the spotlight when his name came up during the Helsinki meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, shares deep insights into Russia and its president — in ways that go beyond the current noise.

At least 23 journalists who dared to challenge Vladimir Putin were murdered since he rose to power. Putin’s big fan Donald Trump verbally assaults journalists every day. And Hillary Clinton has her own ways of dealing with a skeptical press.

Thanks to Ukraine, NATO is back in a familiar Cold-War posture—warning against Russian belligerence and pushing for more defense spending to deter it. As the alliance’s leaders meet at a summit in Wales, plans under discussion to push NATO defenses closer to Russia could create the consequences they’re designed to avert.

There’s a rush to judgment about who shot down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17. That’s clearly dangerous with Ukraine a flashpoint in what appears to be turning into a new Cold War. Here are some things to think about as we try to separate fact from speculation and even outright fiction.